The BGN News Archive

October 27, 2014

For a month there was no problem finding a gig. Most of the time there wasn't
even a choice - you had to hit that Pipeline! gig if you could.
So, it was a novelty to go searching a bit on Friday to pick a venue. O'Briens
got the nod after listening to a few band music sites. The band Today Junior
had some echo laden tracks that seemed interesting and Z*L had some volume.

Live, Today Junior had even more echo on the guitar.
Though I only caught about four songs from this trio I thought they were trying
to write songs with feeling and setting up a moody backdrop. They sounded a
bit rough but they are a young band and I think they will hone their chops and
only get better. The guitar with ultra-heavy echo/reverb is a big trend out
there. It's a real sixties thing. On their Bandcamp
page they begin with two minutes of atmospherics before even getting into
the songs. The CD What's the Skinny represented on the Bandcamp
page is a very good effort. They got a very good response in the club.

Z*L is another trio that is heavy on the guitar.
They were in last year's Rumble and in my experience that Rumble
selection committee does a good job. I like the full sound both of these trios
get. Z*L has another echo over the top guitarist. Ian Adams was
playing in several styles; the two major things I picked up was a dirty blues/rock
vein and some pronounced surf licks. He obviously has lots of influences and
there's a lot that shows up in his playing which is wonderfully unpretentious.
He plays a lot of leads but they come over as part of the overall sound and
not aimless wankery. Isabel Riley on bass plays strong figured riffs
that could hold down the whole set on their own the way they sit so squarely.
She also trades off the singing and has the lively stage moves.
Several songs
struck me. One called Kelpie that had some lines about being alone that
resonated. Lord of the Flies had a notable melody that reminded me of
some T. Rex material. After the set those songs stayed with me and I can still
hear them in my mind now. That's as good a recommendation of a band I can give.
Those songs will be on their next recorded effort which is in the works. The
first CD is on the Z*L Bandcamp
page.... .

We left you last week at Club Bohemia at the Cantab with Kilslug
on stage and the bathroom overflowing and the stench permeating the whole place.
This Saturday we were back at the scene of the back up....we never learn.

But this week is different we're here to see J.A.S.O.N. a play about
"myth murder and mayhem in a punk rock world" presented by a theater group called
Office of War Information
(Bureau of Theater). We wanted to see this especially since it touts the
'punk rock' spin on things. This is the Jason and The Argonauts story but Jason
and his crew are in a punk band touring ancient Greece and the golden fleece
is mostly getting famous or a record deal, as far as I could tell. I haven't
read the Argonautica but I did read the Odyssey and the Iliad
so I remember some of the story. The play unfolds as The Argonautica
and Euripides' Medea mixed together.

When you first walk in one of the actors (Rick Chason) sits of the edge
of the stage looking pretty believably Sid Vicious-like in a punk rock outfit
and spikey hair...and anxious to play some music. The show is mostly acting but
the cast (all multi-talented) pick up instruments and play a few songs, one
at the end of each act. I loved the baking sheet used as a percussion instrument
by Orpheus (Tim Hoover)!! A very DIY punk touch a la The Blind Orphans
at Cantone's in 78!! My favorite actor was Daniel Boudreau who played
Peleus. He looked kinda Shanana-ish but definitely had the cool guy in a band
act down. And it was definitely sex and drugs and rock n roll since there were
wine skins passed around and drunk from a lot and the oft mentioned lotus eating
as a way to inject the use of drugs and of course Medea gets preggers by Orpheus
and uses her knowledge of herbs and sorcery to abort the baby and show everyone
the blood! Who knew that the Greek classics and punk could be so closely related!?
I have to say this production and the actors had me enthralled and doing it
in Club Bohemia was a good touch too. And it's not often you get to see
a Greek Tragedy done up punk like, they had me with that idea anyway!

Next up we headed down Mass Ave....We don't like the idea that every Saturday
at TT's is taken up by a DJ spinning disco but there is a good side effect.
To get bands in on Saturday they start at 5:30 and end at 8 before the night
show. That allowed us to see some bands after the afternoon showing of the play
at Cantab.

I've seen Varsity Drag a few times and liked their muscular pop style.
Ben Deily earned his cred with his Lemonhead stint. Their CD For
Crying Out Loud has the spot-on Billy Ruane. One of the greatest
local oriented songs and will bring tears to your eyes if you let it. (Listen
to it here
on their bandcamp page ).

Tonight they seem even more hard hitting and assured on stage than I remember.
I certainly don't remember Lisa Deily on bass being so intense. She's not
flashy on the frets but she's giving exactly what's needed all the time and
has a warm yet punchy tone. The drummer is playing easy with plenty of wallop.
The songwriting is what separates these guys. The chords are always moving with
plenty of leading tones or open strings. They make sure there are intermittent
short instrumental passages to add interest. All of this done with up tempos
and plenty of power, they never but never let the pop get wimpy. I loved the
set even though they didn't play my fave Billy Ruane.

Following Varsity Drag four of the most
unlikely band members get on stage. They looked like a meeting of the United
Electrical Workers Union..a green polo shirt?...quilted flannel shirt? This is
Stuyvesant and as the name implies they are from NYC. They proceed to
roll out some song centered hard rock. The twin harmonies they favored were
full and appealing. The lead singer had a voice that lent the right emotion
to everything he sang. They played their instruments with time won skill. I
see so many performers playing with difficulty it's almost a shock to see players
who play with fluency. The music was sort of genre less. It's was sort of seventies
mainstream music but with a current sound.
They reminded me of the Romantics who also did their own thing and became popular
on the strength of the songs. They have a CD on their
Bandcamp page . Here is one song they have on line.... Hellbent
for Heather by Stuyvesant. Linden Calling CD by Stuyvesant. They do their own thing and they
do it well.

In other news ...we talk about some films coming up The Mayor of Rock and
Roll is almost ready to be released. By Brendan Boogie it's a
drama/comedy about "music, love, and failure set against the backdrop of the
Boston rock scene" and was partly filmed at TT the Bears. There's also
a lot of live music performed in it as well. The read more about it check
out the Kickstarter page. AND to see
a trailer here.

The Mayor of Boston Rock would be an apt name for the other film that's almost
ready The Road to Ruane. A doc about our beloved Billy Ruane
by Mike Gill who was the drummer for The Damn Personals and worked
at The Middle East and was pals with Billy.
As the four year anniversary of Billy Ruane's passing is upon us this is even
more meaningful.....Check out the Facebook
page and their
Kickstarter page for more info and the Official Trailer.

And the Halloween hub bub has already started with the Damned and TSOL at the
Royale this past weekend but THIS Friday, October 31st IS Halloween and
there's a great show at the Midway it's even a Monster
Masquerade!! with The Sprained Ankles, Squallie and the Chaotix, Spectre
Hawk, The Pity Whores and Bad Movies! That's five bands for five
bucks on Halloween YEAH!!

Saturday Nov 1 - Kenne Highland and the Gizmos will be in Cleveland,
OH for The
6th Annual WCSB Halloween Masquerade Ball
with: The Gizmos (original 1976 version), X_X (w/ John Morton
of Electric Eels), All Dinosaurs and Counter Intuits

Sunday November 2nd The Neckbone, Hardcore Stadium, and Vivi'D Present:
Sheer Terror w/ Stars and Stripes, The Peacebreakers, MFP,
and Honest John are at The Middle East Down. Here's a viddy
of Sheer Terror when they played in Boston in 1989!

Whoa this is so totally worth the trip to Beverly!!! Willie Loco Alexander/
Nervous Eaters/ Real Kids- Saturday, November 8 at The Spotlight
Tavern in Beverly, Massachusetts Here's the
FB page

In November Bob Colby has his Store 54 show with When Particles
Collide and Powerslut on Saturday November 8th

Roy Sludge is doing another Sunday 4-8:30 Pm show on November 9th
at The Midway!

Cavestomp ! & King Yum Records Present: Lyres with Special Guests
Wicked Cool Recording Artists Cocktail
Slippers, The Connection, TRiPLE THiCK on Friday, Nov
14, 2014 at The Middle East - Up. This is one amazing line up!!

Also on Nov 14th over at The Midway you will find The Upper
Crust ,The Weisstroauts, Tim Lee 3 and My Own Worst Enemy - that
should be a great show!! And an interesting mix to say the least!

At
The Midway - November 16th(Sunday - Day Show): The Humanoids, Mama
Ladilla, The FUs, Chin Strap This is a matinee - it goes from 4- 8 PM and
its all ages!! AND only $6 to get in!!!

Mark yr calendars for this one!!: December 12th (Friday): The Real
Kids , The Titanics, The Nectarines - at The Midway

Also on The 12th its Dial
M for MUCK at Church - It's a Muck & The Mires Record Launch
Party!! Also on the bill are Daddy Long Legs (Norton Records -NYC), The
Dogmatics and Thee Itchies.

December 19th (Friday) there's a exciting show at TT's first
off SPiTZZ are playing their first show in 2.5 years!!!, also on the
bill are he Blue Bloods, Duck & Cover (having their vinyl release
celebration), Quiggs, and Silver Screams - this will be a great show
folks!!